Things have been quiet the last couple of weeks. Some minor things with dizzy spells and light headedness. Life was getting into a routine with school and hockey. So obviously we need to figure out a way to make things fun again. We started the story with the falls and concussion and this week we got to continue that adventure.
To recap, I got stomach cancer and struggled in the summer with treatments. Had dizzy spells and light headedness. Then concussion and had to go to the hospital. The scans came back negative. I have been helping out more and things have been great. I have been arguing with Mel. Telling her she is an awesome super mom/wife and she thinks it is no big deal. I am not sure if she realizes how awesome she is. The three major events of the last year, she insisted I am an idiot and need to get checked out. I have not had great experiences in the ED and normally it is nothing. But I would rather go and confirm nothing than some thing bad happening even though I fight it everytime.
On Monday Mel was at the bottom of the stairs and watched me walk down. She started crying and that concerned me. She finally realized that I had hemiparesis and being a student of neuroscience she was concerned. Having it only impact half of my body is not a good sign. She originally thought it might be a stroke or a TIA. Luckily it was neither. I said I was not going to ED and she called my oncologist and family doctor. I am sure you can guess what they both said. If you thought they replied that she was overreacting and to be cool you would be wrong. In a shocking twist they said I had to immediately go to the hospital. I am not sure that they realized it was a work day. By the afternoon I went to the ER with Mel. We had done a lot of housework over the last couple of weeks and things seemed awesome. I was not doing awesome, but things were not bad. They did a bunch of tests and everything seemed fine. They said I had some slight weakness on one side but they were not too worried. Little did they know that if you decide things are not an issue they will not be.
They decided to send me for a CT just in case. What they found was the sequel to the September 15th concussion. My brain had been bleeding for months and blood pooled. Causing pressure on the brain and squishing my ventricles. The doctors were surprised I walked in as it was quite extensive. Since it occurred slowly my body adjusted to it and I compensated. I forced my body to adjust and think it is not a big deal.
They drilled holes in my head to drain the blood. A relatively minor procedure that took 45 minutes. My neurosurgeon was a child hood friend so it was a nice meeting. Today things seem back to normal and looking back I am not sure how I functioned for weeks.
In 2021 I started with stomach cancer and I ended the year with brain surgery. Last summer Mel had a concern and forced me to go and they found pancreatitis. Then the stomach ulcer and now the subdural chronic haematoma. I think it is pretty accurate to say that she has saved my life a lot. A lot of people have praised my positivity and toughness. I get a lot of strength and energy from Mel. I want to make sure she really works for our vows of for better or worse.
- I am lucky that I have a wife that is supportive and knows when to push me even when I do not agree.
- I am lucky to have family and friends that step up to help out with everything. They have been fantastic.
- I am lucky to have work colleagues to collaborate with Mel to make sure I do the right thing. My friends are like family and I appreciate their love.
- I am lucky for all of my former colleagues that still check in and all of the support.
I have been blessed with the incredible support system I have. I see people suffer at the hospital and it puts things in perspective. No matter how bad things get, I am not going through this alone. It makes dealing with this so much easier knowing that.